Category Archives: Local News

CENTRALIA — The Greater Centralia Chamber of Commerce will host a Centralia City Council and Mayoral Candidates Forum on Thursday, March 21 beginning at 6:00 p.m. at the Centralia Recreation Complex annex building. Candidates seeking election for City Council are William C. (Bill) Smith, Nicholas “Nick” Heath, David Sauer, and Robert “Spanky” Smith. The write-in candidate that…… read more

JEFFERSON COUNTY — Bail was set at $500,000 Wednesday in Jefferson County court for a 39-year-old Mt. Vernon man recently extradited from the Vanderburgh County, Indiana Jail where he’s been held since December. Victor Serrano was formally charged Wednesday with two counts attempted murder, one for a woman he allegedly abducted and one for her unborn child. He was…… read more

MARION COUNTY — A 23-year-old Brownstown man made his first appearance Wednesday in Marion County court for a fatal 2016 DUI crash after the Fifth Appellate District remanded the case back to the lower court for prosecution. Ryan Feezel was charged in connection with a July 2016 traffic crash on U.S. 51 north of Patoka…… read more

SPRINGFIELD — Area lawmakers are reacting to Governor J.B. Pritzker’s budget proposal for the coming fiscal year. The governor presented his plan to the Illinois General Assembly on Wednesday.… read more

INA — Middle school students will have the opportunity to check many different career fields at the Career Cruise at Rend Lake College in a few weeks. Pam Schallhorn with the University of Illinois Extension says the event is geared so students can start thinking about what they would like to do to help plan…… read more

SOUTHERN ILLINOIS (RFD) — The final stretch of February will include an active weather pattern. And meteorologist Eric Schmidt at EJS Weather in Newton expects storm systems to move across the Midwest every few days. At the other end of the state, they continue to count snow totals, now at 50-inches in Rockford since November.… read more

SESSER — Former Sesser Mayor and State Senator Ned Mitchell made his first court appearance on drug-related charges Tuesday in Franklin County. The 70-year-old Mitchell and 42-year-old Elaina Kays were arrested at Mitchell’s home in Sesser on Jan. 15 after Sesser Police searched the home. Mitchell was charged with possession meth. Mitchell and Kays both bonded out…… read more

MT. VERNON — A 39-year-old Mt. Vernon man is in the Jefferson County Jail after being extradited from the Vanderburgh County, Indiana Jail where he’s been held since December. Victor Serrano was arrested by Indiana authorities last month following a high-speed chase. A warrant for Serrano’s arrest had been issued in Jefferson County, Illinois accusing…… read more